By Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services via Arizona Capitol Times
Attorneys for Arizona Public Service are deriding efforts by Bob Burns to have the state Supreme Court overturn a 3.3 percent rate hike just approved by the other utility regulators.
In new legal filings, Mary O’Grady, lead lawyer for the state’s largest electric company, said it would be “improper” for the justices to nullify the 4-1 vote by the Arizona Corporation Commission simply because Burns has been unable to subpoena executives and documents from APS and parent Pinnacle West Capital Corp. to get information about the companies’ political spending.
“The rate settlement, as approved by the commission, has many public benefits that have nothing to do with Commissioner Burns’ subpoenas,” she wrote. These range from new rate designs to allow customers to adjust their bills based on time of use and a promise not to seek more money before the middle of 2019.
